Introduction

This introductory chapter offers a brief biographical sketch of Veblen’s life and times based primarily upon Joseph Dorfman’s book, Thorstein Veblen and His America, as well as David Riesman’s intellectual biography of Veblen. Veblen grew up on the Western frontier; he was the perennial “outsider” and did not learn English until he went to school; he experienced first-hand prejudices toward his Norwegian family; his first and most lasting intellectual interests were in anthropology and ethnographies. This chapter delineates Veblen’s key theoretical contributions in order to highlight the main concepts that will frame the foundation of this book’s analysis. This chapter also defines the charro cowboy community and its symbolism in Mexico. Like the American cowboy, the Mexican charro cowboy servers as a symbol of Mexican identity, rural tradition, and masculinity. The chapter breaks down the historical components that have shaped the contemporary charro cowboy community by highlighting the role of the Mexican Federation of Charros in the preservation of the charro cowboy tradition. Previous work on the charro cowboy tradition has helped to answer questions centered on national identity, cultural significance, and stereotypes. Yet, this analysis has not been sufficient to explain the changes. The chapter explains that Veblen’s cultural theory is the most appropriate to document the changes that this particular rural tradition has experienced because it recounts the effects of modern technology, urbanization, and industrialization. Veblen’s theoretical framework provides a possible answer to why shifts in the charro cowboy culture occur and how the charro cowboy community reproduce, maintain, and enact their culture. Cultural shifts in the charro cowboy community are not uniform and emerge through careful examination.